Re: car troubles

<suzo@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:1164239893.511979.60850@l39g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Something is wrong with my car (1988 Toyota Camry) and I thought this
> sounded like a group that would know what the problem is. I'd like to
> have some idea of what the problem could be before I take it into the
> garage.
>
> When my car stops at an intersection and is idling, or I am just
> driving very slow, the headlights dim, the windshield wipers slow down
> and the radio stops working, when I speed up again, the headlights get
> brighter and the radio comes back on and the wipers speed up. It has
> also become a little sluggish starting up.
>
> Also, (and I don't know if this is connected or not, but it happened
> before the problem stated above) the dashboard light (that says I have
> a malfunctioning back light) is lit up, but when I took it to the
> garage, they said all my back lights were working.
>
> Any ideas?
>[/color]

OK, one of the problems with some of the alternators put into US Toyotas is
that they're made by AC-Delco. This is a common problem. I had to finally
replace my alternator in my 93 Corolla with a NipponDenso. Now the only
thing I've had to replace is the battery.

Definitely get your electrical charging system checked out. A little
dimming under heavy load in the winter isn't unusual, but this sounds like
more than that. One of the things that could be is the diode pack on the
alternator. I'd still get someone to check out the whole charging system.
Winter's coming on and being stuck in a dead car in the cold is not a whole
lot of fun.

Charles of Schamburg